Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around? • Hacker News Board

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#11

Post by ksenzee » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:12 PM UTC

alleychnt wrote: post #6

marsrover wrote: post #2

The last Psychiatrist I went to prescribed me 4mg of Klonopin a day for anxiety. The one before that prescribed me 40-50mg of Adderall a day for ADHD and about 600mg of Seroquel a night for sleeping problems. Both times I decided to quit going and tapered myself off. There never really asked how I felt or seemed to care about me in any way shape or form. Just, "Here's your drugs, see you next month." I have a horribl…

Psychiatrists are a bit like chiropractors. They want to be seen as "doctors", but none of what they do has any scientific basis. Ever notice how psychiatrists just prescribe you random medications without knowing how, or even if, they work? The most damning fact is that I've never met anyone on psych meds who is doing really great.

> I've never met anyone on psych meds who is doing really great.

Of course you have. You just didn't know it. People don't wear placards around their neck announcing "I'm on psych meds!"

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#12

Post by dougmccune » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:14 PM UTC

marsrover wrote: post #2

The last Psychiatrist I went to prescribed me 4mg of Klonopin a day for anxiety. The one before that prescribed me 40-50mg of Adderall a day for ADHD and about 600mg of Seroquel a night for sleeping problems. Both times I decided to quit going and tapered myself off. There never really asked how I felt or seemed to care about me in any way shape or form. Just, "Here's your drugs, see you next month." I have a horribl…

I'm married to a psychologist specializing in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy for treating anxiety and insomnia. There are ways to deal with these problems without medication. And these methods are backed up by peer reviewed studies to prove they work. If you do end up needing help in the future I'd recommend reading up on CBT.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#13

Post by phren0logy » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:14 PM UTC

alleychnt wrote: post #6

marsrover wrote: post #2

The last Psychiatrist I went to prescribed me 4mg of Klonopin a day for anxiety. The one before that prescribed me 40-50mg of Adderall a day for ADHD and about 600mg of Seroquel a night for sleeping problems. Both times I decided to quit going and tapered myself off. There never really asked how I felt or seemed to care about me in any way shape or form. Just, "Here's your drugs, see you next month." I have a horribl…

Psychiatrists are a bit like chiropractors. They want to be seen as "doctors", but none of what they do has any scientific basis. Ever notice how psychiatrists just prescribe you random medications without knowing how, or even if, they work? The most damning fact is that I've never met anyone on psych meds who is doing really great.

1.Psychiatrists go to medical school, just like other "doctors." 2. There is a huge evidence base for the practice of psychiatry, though it would be nice if it were adhered to more rigorously. 3. Incomplete understandings of the mechanisms of action of drugs is rife throughout medicine. For example, why does the hypertension drug HCTZ work at sub-diuretic doses? 4. If they were doing great, they probably wouldn't need to see a psychiatrist. Also, there are very likely people that you have met who are doing great that you have no idea are seeing a psychiatrist.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#14

Post by phren0logy » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:15 PM UTC

marsrover wrote: post #10

alleychnt wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Psychiatrists are a bit like chiropractors. They want to be seen as "doctors", but none of what they do has any scientific basis. Ever notice how psychiatrists just prescribe you random medications without knowing how, or even if, they work? The most damning fact is that I've never met anyone on psych meds who is doing really great.

I have noticed. Multiple times I've gone to a Psychiatrist and they have decided to try something because it's new and supposed to work, when the reality is they've only ever put 2 or 3 clients on it and it has been working for a few weeks, and the medication itself has only been out a year. In addition, the worst times in my life were the times when I was taking psychiatric medications.

I'm sorry this has been your experience, but please don't throw my entire profession under the bus because of it.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#15

Post by marsrover » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:18 PM UTC

phren0logy wrote: post #14

marsrover wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have noticed. Multiple times I've gone to a Psychiatrist and they have decided to try something because it's new and supposed to work, when the reality is they've only ever put 2 or 3 clients on it and it has been working for a few weeks, and the medication itself has only been out a year. In addition, the worst times in my life were the times when I was taking psychiatric medications.

I'm sorry this has been your experience, but please don't throw my entire profession under the bus because of it.

I don't doubt that there are great Psychiatrist out there (you're probably one of them, and I'm sorry to have offended you). However, due to my past experiences I'm reluctant to find out where or who they are or recommend this form of treatment to others.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#16

Post by alleychnt » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:21 PM UTC

phren0logy wrote: post #13

alleychnt wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Psychiatrists are a bit like chiropractors. They want to be seen as "doctors", but none of what they do has any scientific basis. Ever notice how psychiatrists just prescribe you random medications without knowing how, or even if, they work? The most damning fact is that I've never met anyone on psych meds who is doing really great.

1.Psychiatrists go to medical school, just like other "doctors." 2. There is a huge evidence base for the practice of psychiatry, though it would be nice if it were adhered to more rigorously. 3. Incomplete understandings of the mechanisms of action of drugs is rife throughout medicine. For example, why does the hypertension drug HCTZ work at sub-diuretic doses? 4. If they were doing great, they probably wouldn't nee…

Show me a guy on psych meds who is doing great and I'll believe you.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#17

Post by Pica_soO » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:22 PM UTC

The basic lie that psychiatry is based upon, is that there is a sickness where there is suffering. Not neural phenotype, that yes can suffer, but have been useful for various enterprises and endeavor of humans kind. Manic-Depressive where our "suicidal" explorers, alcoholics stopped us from being nomadic, gays pressured into churches formed the first institutions and created contract security. The list continues near endless. If psychiatry would be a honest science, it would look upon cause and effect, asking what did this or that creatures side effect accomplish do to pay the ferry-woman. And can we optimize that- can we create creature constellations which produce new ideas like a machine. But it does not want to know, it wants to heal, which it can not heal as long as it cant resequence DNA in a living human. It doesn't even want to know the possible consequences if it could cure.

Do not interpret this statement as a general dismissive of proper treatment. Treatment of some neuronal constitutions allows some humans to live in this society. But i want to know what society trades personal meh-ness for.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#18

Post by marsrover » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:22 PM UTC

dougmccune wrote: post #12

marsrover wrote: post #2

The last Psychiatrist I went to prescribed me 4mg of Klonopin a day for anxiety. The one before that prescribed me 40-50mg of Adderall a day for ADHD and about 600mg of Seroquel a night for sleeping problems. Both times I decided to quit going and tapered myself off. There never really asked how I felt or seemed to care about me in any way shape or form. Just, "Here's your drugs, see you next month." I have a horribl…

I'm married to a psychologist specializing in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy for treating anxiety and insomnia. There are ways to deal with these problems without medication. And these methods are backed up by peer reviewed studies to prove they work. If you do end up needing help in the future I'd recommend reading up on CBT.

I will keep that in mind. Thank you.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#19

Post by superuser2 » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:27 PM UTC

marsrover wrote: post #2

The last Psychiatrist I went to prescribed me 4mg of Klonopin a day for anxiety. The one before that prescribed me 40-50mg of Adderall a day for ADHD and about 600mg of Seroquel a night for sleeping problems. Both times I decided to quit going and tapered myself off. There never really asked how I felt or seemed to care about me in any way shape or form. Just, "Here's your drugs, see you next month." I have a horribl…

>never really asked how I felt

Psychiatry is distinct from psychology and other forms of talk therapy.

When all you have is a hammer, etc.

The separation is amusingly pronounced. Even for a teenager it is pretty much totally up to the patient whether to see a psychiatrist, psychologist who uses empirically validated methods, psychologist who doesn't, LCSW, GP, etc. and they will all tell you wildly different things.

It doesn't help that most people haven't heard of, or don't know the difference between, many of those things.

Re: Can Psychiatry Turn Itself Around?

#20

Post by 1_2__3 » Thu, Aug 11, 2016, 9:28 PM UTC

Had a doctor prescribe two meds once, then a few weeks later asked me how one of them was working. I was honestly confused by the question, since I have no idea how one drug is working when I've only ever taken it in tandem with something else. The very question indicates at best an unacceptable level of indifference, at worst outright incompetence.